Evaporator for refrigerating devices



@dz, 2, 19354, R. H. MONEY EVAPORATOR FOR REFRIGERATING DEVICES Filed June 13, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l I I I .11)-

ATTORNEYS Gd. 2, 1934, R. H. MONEY 1,975fi59 EVAPORATOR FOR REFRIGERATING DEVICES Filed June 13, 1933 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BYY' ATTORNEYS.

t 9 193% R. H. MONEY EVAPORATOR FOR REFRIGERATING DEVICES Filed June 15, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Mad/2%; w 9L ATTORNEYS,

Patented Oct. 2, 1934 v EVAPORATOR FOR REFRIGERATING DEVICES Roland H. Money, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignm- The Crosley Radio Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 13, 1933, Serial No. 675,571

Claims. (Cl. 62-126) My invention relates to evaporators such as will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent may be used for refrigerators, and its fundato one skilled in the art upon reading these specimental object is the provision of a satisfactory fications, I accomplish by that certain constructype of evaporator, more efilcient in use, but tion and arrangement of parts of which I shall 5 simply and economically constructed. There has now describe an exemplary embodiment. Referbeen a marked tendency in recent years to conence is made to the drawings, wherein: struct the evaporators of refrigerating devices Figure l is an elevational end view of a simple out of sheet metal rather than out of tubes, form of evaporator constructed in accordance or the like. This construction is more economiwith my invention.

W cal; but offers a number of dimculties in manipu- Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. lation, and has served in commercial practice Fig. 3 is a view of the parts from which the to impose some limitations upon the form of evaporator is constructed insomewhat disassemevaporator which may be constructed. A 5110- bled relationship. v cessful form of sheet metal evaporator has been The simplest form of my invention illustrated is made of two plates shaped to form the inner and in these drawings is, of course, not a limitation outer portions of a U-shaped structure, the sheet thereon. It may be elaborated as desired, and metal portions being welded or otherwise joined modified without departing from the spirit of my at their edges. At least one of them was charinvention. This exemplary embodiment, howacterized by ridges forming passageways for the ever, will serve to indicate the nature of my inac refrigerant, and usually both members were vention and how it may be applied to other cirridged to provide strength in resisting internal cumstances. pressure. Such a construction, however, made Essentially in the practice of my invention I it necessary to introduce the refrigerant into the provide a series of members to be joined together top of the evaporator, and also to take it out of by welding, or the like, to form the completed 25 the top, and was for this reason not particularly evaporator, the members being of a form to perso desirable. Moreovenit made an evaporator conmit this, and also of a form to compensate for struction which was open at the bottom, and relatively minute variations in the dimensions of which for that reasonmade no provision for a the parts. I may, for example, form in one piece refrigerated surface beneath any of the trays an outer member comprising a top and the sides so placed in the evaporator. It will be understood, of an evaporator. I then provide an interior of course, that if a tray may be supported dlrectmember to complete the top and a portion of the ly upon a refrigerated surface the contents of sides, and another interior member to complete the tray may be frozen much more expeditiously. another portion of the sides and to form the While the sheet metal evaporator was in gen upper part of either a bottom member or a shelf .36 eral very much less expensive than an evaporator member. There may, if desired, be several comformed of tubing, or the like, yet the dlficulty binations of these two last mentioned interior of making an evaporator out of sheet metal, members, but at least the lowermost one will be which evaporator was itself of tubular form, or finished off by a bottom member adapted for had one or more refrigerated portions underjuncture to the sides. it might ordinarily be do lying the trays, seems not to have been met by supposed that if one desired a tubular form of the art with a solution characterized by great evaporator, it would be possible to make an outer economy. tubular member of sheet metal, and an inner It is therefore one of the objects of my in tubular member of sheet metal, place the latter vention to provide an evaporator and a method in the former, and weld the edges thereof. This,

45 of constructing it, in which the evaporator, alhowever, is not very practicable commercially.

though made of pieces of sheet metal, will itself In the first place, it is dificult to form by stamp=- have a tubular form, or will be characterized by ing or drawing, a sheet metal member which is one or more shelves, partitions, or the like, which itself tubular in form. Assuming, however, that are themselves a part of the evaporator and conno such diificulty presented itself, it still would 50 tain the refrigerant. It is also an object of my be necessary to form up an inner and anouter 5 invention to provide a sheet metal evaporator so one of such members, join the edges thereof by constructed that the refrigerant fluid may be ina line of weld, and slip one inside the other. troduced therein at the bottom and withdrawn Small changes in the dimensions of the parts at the top. would radically affect the union thereof, and

55 These and other objects of my invention which might, on the one hand, make it impossible to no ill) insert the inner tubular member within the outer one, or might leave such gaps in the structure as would be difllcult to close by welding after the structure had been assembled. This would be true, whether the tubular members were completely formed by welding prior to or after insertion.

i shall now proceed with a descriptmn oi? an exemplary form oi'my invention, and in Fig. l have shown an outer member of sheet metal indicated generally at 1, and stamped to dorm a top 2, and side members 3 and a. The top portion may have an upstanding protuberance 5 or half-cylindrical form extending longitudinally at the middle thereof to provide a reservoir or chamber for the refrigerant, and to provide a space for skimming the refrigerant. The metal will also be struck up to form transversely disnosed ribs 6 and l communicating with the chamber portion 5, and serving not only as a means for the passing oi the refrigerant, but also as means of stiilening the structure and enabling it to resist internal pressure.

ll have indicated generally at 8 an mterior intermediate sheet metal. member bent to form a top section 9, and side sections iii and 11.. Short transverse ribs 12 may be struck down longitudinally from the top portion 9 at its middle, and longitudinal ribs 13 may if desired, be struck inward from the side portions 10 and ii at intervals of their height. The side members 10 and 11 of this interior piece are preferably too short to complete the interior side portions of the evaporator. This is clearly shown in Ebgure 3. The side members 10 and 11 of the interior piece terminate in inwardly turned flange portions 1% and 15. To complete the interior surface of the evaporator, I provide, in the embodiment shown, an interior bottom member indicated generally at 16, having a bottom portion 17, and side members 18 and 19 having at their upper edges flange portions 20 and 21 bent inward, which abut the turned over portions it and 15 of the first mentioned interior member. In the particular construction shown, the bottom member 17 is struck up at one of its ends to form a portion 22 of an entrance way for a fitting through which the refrigerant is delivered to the evaporator.

The structure of the exemplary embodiment is completed by the interior bottom member indicated generally at 23, having a top portion 24 and depending side portions 25 and 26, which contact the ends of the portions 3 and 4 of the outer sheet metal member 1. The member 23 may have transverse ridges 27 struck down from its top portion 24, and it will be seen that these ridges are in registry with the ridges 6 and '7 of the outer sheet metal member 1. A longitudinal ridge 28 is also struck down along the middle of the top portion 24 of the bottom member 23.

The nature of these sheet metal members and the way in which they are assembled will be clear from the showing in Fig. 3. It will also be clear that when these members are properly assembled, their edges will meet in such a, way as to facilitate joining by welding, or the like, and further that due to this manner of assembly, slight variations in the dimensions of the several parts will not prevent proper assembly, nor inhibit welding. Thus if the side portions of the two interior members 8 and 16 should be longer than is desired,

nevertheless this will simply result in slightly lowering the member 23 when the assembly is complete, but will not inhibit the fusion of these members together when the assembly has been completed.

The longitudinal ridge 2s communicar s with the transverse ridges 27, and also (at t e rear end of the evaporator) registers with the portion 22 to form the other halt of an entrance way for the fitting, which is seen at 3b in Fig. 2. At the rear end is a bracket 29. The refrigerant enters the evaporator through this fitting so from the tube 31. This tube 31 is connected with the condenser of the refrigerating device, not shown, and which in the particular embodiment shown, is what is called a capillary tube, associated with a type oi refrigerating device in which the flow of refrigerant to the evaporator is controlled by the resistance of this capillary tube 31 of given length; and in order to take care or" this length, the tube 31 may be coiled as at 32. The evaporated refrigerant is removed from the evapora-= tor through a fitting 33, which is connected into the enlarged end 50; of the rib 5 and portion es; of the top 9, at the top of the evaporator, and from which a pipe leads to the compressor. This fitting 33 may support, on the inside of the evaporator, in the space formed by the longitudinal rib 5, a suitable skimmer 34 for the periodic re-= moval of oil, as set forth in my copending application, Ser. No. 675,570, filed June '13, 1933.

I have hereinabove described one exemplary form of my invention. It will be understood that in following out this embodiment, other forms and dispositions of the ridges in the plates may be adopted. In the form shown there is a chamber formed by rib 5 longitudinally disposed at the top of the evaporator, and another chamber formed by ridge 28 longitudinally disposed at the bottom of the evaporator. Transverse passageways 6 and 7 and the passageways 2'? connect these tubes or chambers about the sides of the evaporator, said passageways being continuous from one of the chambers to the other. The ridges 13 and 28 increase the capacity for refrigerant at the sides and the bottom, and promote the circulation.

In the way hereinabove described, I have provided for the economical construction of evaporators of sheet metal, having at least a. bottom member adapted to underlie a tray A, Fig. 1, or the like. The same procedure, however, is of utility in forming one or more partition members instead of, or in addition to the bottom member;

Ordinarily this will be done in evaporators which are larger than the one herein shown; but it will be clear that were the parts 8 and 16 so proportioned that the bottom member 17 of the portion 16 fell a greater distance above the actual bottom of the evaporator, the end portions 25 and 26 of the bottom member could be prolonged to the extent desired, and then turned over like the turned over portions 14 and 15 of the member 8. Then an additional member similar to 16 could be joined thereto, and finally, a. bottom member similar to 23 placed in the position shown.' This structure would provide an evaporator not only with the bottom, but also with an intermediate shelf forming portion, having passageways also connected with the passageways 6 and 7. Similarly, as many of these partition members as desired could be included in the evaporator in this way. The structure may also have shelves 35 and 36 for the trays B, Fig. 1.

It is the usual practice to assemble the parts as shown, and then weld them together at their meeting edges by a gas flame, afterward treating the finished evaporator to make it resistant its to external influences, as by galvanizing and/or tinning. The fittings 30 and 32 may be welded in place or may be held by brazing or soldering. Upper shelf 36 may be welded in, but lower shelf 25 may rest on the flanges 14 and 15. Cooling of trays B is promoted by ribs 13.

It will be clear that modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:--

1. An evaporator for refrigerators adapted to enclose a central space or chamber upcnnt least four sides, said evaporator formed of sheet metal parts comprising an outer member forming a side and at leastportions of two adjacent sides, two inner members arranged in succession along said two adjacent sides to form the opposite sides of the evaporator, and a member to form a fourth outer side of said evaporator.

2. An evaporator for refrigerators adapted to enclose a central space or chamber upon at least four sides, said evaporator formed of sheet metal parts comprising an outer member forming a side and at least portions of two adjacent sides, two inner members arranged in succession along said two adjacent sides, and a member to form a fourth outer side of said evaporator, certain of said members being deformed to provide passageways for refrigerant which are communicating about said four sides.

3. An evaporator for refrigerators adapted to enclose a central space or chamber upon at least four sides, said evaporator being formed of sheet metal parts comprising an outer member forming a side and two opposite sides, an inner member forming a side and portions of two opposite sides, a second inner member forming a fourth side and portions of two opposite sides, and a member to complete the structure, all of said members being joined together at their external edges along the opposite sides, and said inner members being joined together at edges between the opposite sides.

4. An evaporator for refrigerators, adapted to enclose a central space or chamber on at least four sides, said evaporator comprising anv external member adapted to form three external sides thereof, at least two internal members adapted to form a side and portions of two adjacent sides, said internal members having their interiorly disposed edges turned over to form flanges, and a flange of each member being joined to a flange of the other member, and a member to complete the exterior portion of said structure.

5. An evaporator for refrigerators adapted to enclose a central space or chamber upon at least four sides, said evaporator being formed of sheet metal members, comprising an outer member forming the top and depending external side portions, at least two internal members forming respectively interior top and bottom portions of said chamber and portions of adjacent sides, said interior members being joined together upon their interior edges intermediate said last mentioned side portions to form a tubular structure, and a member for forming the exterior bottom portion of said chamber, all of said members being joined together upon their exterior edges.

6. An evaporator for refrigerators, adapted to enclose a central space or chamber upon at least four sides, said evaporator being formed of sheet metal members, comprising an outer member forming the top and depending external side portions, at least two internal members forming respectively interior top and bottom portions of said chamber and portions of adjacent sides, said interior members being joined together upon their interior edges intermediate said last mentioned side portions to form a tubular structure, and a member for forming the exterior bottom portion of said chamber, all of said members being joined together upon their exterior edges, certain of said members being deformed to provide passageways for refrigerant which are communicating about said four sides.

7. In a sheet metal evaporator, an exterior member forming at least three adjacent sides, interior members each forming a side and pertions of adjacent sides, said interior members being joined together along their interiorly disposed edges, and a member for completing said structure, all of said members being joined together upon their exteriorly disposed edges, said exterior membersat least being shaped to provide communicating passageways about all sides of the space or chamber enclosed thereby, and certain of said members likewise shaped to provide intersecting passageways for the entrance and removal 106 of the refrigerant.

8. An evaporator for refrigerators comprising three inverted U-shaped portions, two of said portions fitting inside the third portion one below the other, and a fourth U-shaped portion fitting 110 inside the third portion between the two inside portions in inverse relation to the inverted portion, all of the irmer portions being secured to the outer portions, and certain ones of said portions at the top, sides and a lower part of the evaporator being formed to provide a passage for refrigerant entirely around the interior of the evaporator.

9. An evaporator for refrigerators having a four sided interior space to receive matter to be cooled, and having a passageway for refrigerant entirely around said interior space, and an inlet and an outlet for'said passage, said evaporator having, to enclose said interior space, inner and outer wall thicknesses at the four sides, at least one of each two adjacent thicknesses being deformed to provide a respective portion of the passage, the three outer wall thhknesses being of continuous U-shape, and the inner wall thicknesses and the third outer waj thickness being in at least three U-shaped'sections arranged in series along the-opposite sides of the outer U- shape, and secured to said sides. an intermediate section being arranged inversely to the third outer wall thickness and the adjacent section of the inner wall thickness.

10. An evaporator as set forth in claim 9, which also has passages at opposite parts of said interior space. crossing andcommunicating with the first mentioned passage, with respective ones of which 40 crossing passages the inlet and outletcommunicate.

ROLAND H. MONEY. 

